Film adaptations of books on the big screen can both bring a new audience and recognition to a work, and become a source of disappointment for their creators. Many authors dream of seeing their works embodied in a movie, but the result does not always meet their expectations.
Some writers are faced with the fact that directors and screenwriters interpret their work differently than they imagined, which leads to serious disappointments, despite commercial success and high critical acclaim. In this article, we will talk about 15 cases where authors have expressed dissatisfaction with the film adaptations of their books that have become iconic.
1. Peter Benchley
- Work: "Jaws"
- Film: "Jaws" (1975)
- The reason for discontent: Benchley was disappointed with how the film affected people's attitudes towards sharks.
- The author's quote: "No one appreciates how vulnerable they are to destruction."
- The film's success: The film won three Academy Awards, was nominated for a fourth and has an almost flawless 97% critic rating on Rotten Tomatoes.
2. Alan Moore
- Composition: "The Guardians"
- Movie: "The Guardians" (2009)
- The reason for discontent: Moore was unhappy with the film and everything related to it, including the marketing products.
- The author's quote: "Curse this unfortunate movie and everything connected with it."
- The success of the film: The film received high marks from the audience and has a rating of 65% on Rotten Tomatoes.
3. Tom Clancy
- Composition: "Patriot Games"
- Movie: "Patriot Games" (1992)
- The reason for discontent: Clancy felt that the film did not reflect his book and would have preferred that his name not appear on the poster.
- Author's quote: "This is not my book. It's someone else's movie."
- The film's success: The film received positive reviews and has a 72% rating on Rotten Tomatoes.
4. Richard Matheson
- Work: "I am a Legend"
- Film: "I am a legend" (2007)
- The reason for discontent: Matheson was disappointed with the film adaptation of his book, claiming that Hollywood always distorts his work.
- The author's quote: "Hollywood has never conveyed what I meant in my works."
- The success of the film: The film has a 68% rating on Rotten Tomatoes and has collected impressive box office receipts.
5. Truman Capote
- Composition: "Breakfast at Tiffany's"
- Movie: "Breakfast at Tiffany's" (1961)
- The reason for discontent: Truman Capote was extremely disappointed with Audrey Hepburn's choice for the lead role, as he saw Marilyn Monroe exclusively in this role. He also hoped to play the male lead himself.
- The author's quote: "Audrey Hepburn's casting was a double cross in every conceivable way."
- The film's success: The film was nominated for five Oscars, won two, and received 88% on Tomatometer.
6. Anthony Burgess
- Composition: "Clockwork Orange"
- Movie: "Clockwork Orange" (1971)
- The reason for discontent: Burgess believed that Stanley Kubrick's film focuses on violence and distorted the meaning of his book.
- The author's quote: "The film made it easier for readers of the book to misunderstand what is at stake."
- The film's success: The film was nominated for three Oscars and has an 86% rating on Rotten Tomatoes.
7. Stephen King
- Composition: "The Shining"
- Movie: "The Shining" (1980)
- The reason for discontent: King criticized the lack of depth in Jack Torrance's character and the changing nature of the story.
- Author's quote: "Jack Torrance's character doesn't have an arc in this movie. Absolutely no arc…"
- The success of the film: The film received mixed reviews upon release, but eventually became a cult and has 83% on Tomatometer and 93% of the audience.
8. Paul Rudnik
- Composition: "Sister Act"
- Movie: "Sister Act" (1992)
- The reason for discontent: Rudnik was unhappy that his satire had turned into a typical family film and asked to remove his name from the credits.
- Author's quote: "What was intended as satire turned into one of those films that I wanted to laugh at."
- The film's success: The film won the People's Choice Award and 75% on Rotten Tomatoes.
9. Michael Ende
- Composition: The "Endless Story"
- Movie: "The Endless Story" (1984)
- The reason for discontent: Ende believed that the film completely changed the meaning of his book and called it "vulgar and plastic".
- Author's quote: "I was terrified. They changed the whole point of the story."
- The success of the film: The film has an 83% rating on Rotten Tomatoes.
10. P.L. Travers
- Work: "Mary Poppins"
- Film: "Mary Poppins" (1964)
- The reason for discontent: Travers didn't like how her character had changed, and that Mrs. Banks had been made a suffragette.
- The author's quote: "The nanny in the film was very different from the one in her books."
- The film's success: The film was nominated for 13 Oscars and has 97% on Tomatometer.
11. Ken Kesey
- Composition: "Flying Over the Cuckoo's Nest"
- Movie: "Flying Over the Cuckoo's Nest" (1975)
- The reason for discontent: Kesey disapproved of the removal of Chief Bromden's character as a narrator and even sued the filmmakers.
- Author's quote: "The film violated our verbal agreement and destroyed the book."
- The film's success: The film won five Oscars and 93% on Rotten Tomatoes.
12. Alan Moore
- Work: "V means vendetta"
- Film: "V means vendetta" (2005)
- The reason for discontent: Moore believed that the film's script was low-grade and distorted its original.
- Author's quote: "I don't want to have anything to do with these works anymore, because they were stolen from me."
- Success of the film: The film has a rating of 73% on Rotten Tomatoes.
13. Roald Dahl
- Composition: "Charlie and the Chocolate Factory"
- Movie: "Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory" (1971)
- The reason for discontent: Dahl did not like the image of Willy Wonka performed by Gene Wilder, as well as the music of the film.
- Author's quote: "Gene Wilder was too soft and didn't have enough edge."
- The film's success: The film received 92% on Tomatometer.
14. Quentin Tarantino
- Work: "Natural Born Killers"
- Film: "Natural Born Killers" (1994)
- The reason for discontent: Tarantino urged the audience not to watch the film directed by Oliver Stone, as he was unhappy with the result.
- Author's quote: "I hated that damn movie. If you like my stuff, don't watch this movie."
- The success of the film: The film was nominated for a Golden Globe and won three awards at the Venice Film Festival. It has mixed critical reviews, but viewers gave it 81% on Rotten Tomatoes.
15. Bret Easton Ellis
- Composition: "American Psychopath"
- Movie: "American Psychopath" (2000)
- The reason for discontent: Ellis considered his novel unsuitable for film adaptation, as the film distorted the idea of the book.
- Author's quote: "How do you have the same experience as the experience that was intended as a book? In a sense, you get a blurry, second-hand version."
- The success of the film: The film was nominated for two London Critics Circle Film Awards and has 85% on Rotten Tomatoes.
